BellyitchBlog

We lost another celebrity, TV dad Alan Thicke to the vicious year 2016 which has already taken Prince, David Bowie, Mohammed Ali, Alan Rickman, John Glenn, Natalie Cole, Florence Henderson, Gwenn Ifill, Tommy Ford, Gary Shandling, Glenn Frey and others.

Thicke suffered a heart attack in California while playing ice hockey with his 19 year old son, Carter. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

He is survived from by his wife Tanya, his famous entertainer and singer son Robin Thicke and another son Brennan.

Today I lost my best friend and my idol, and the world lost one of it’s finest. You are a legend and I love you Pops. Until next time. pic.twitter.com/ZQd2NZMTx4
— Carter Thicke (@CarterThicke) December 14, 2016

A few weeks prior, on Thanksgiving Day, famous TV mom Florence Henderson, who played “Carol Brady” on the 1970s TV sitcom The Brady Bunch also passed away from heart failure.

Thicke and his ex wife Days of Our Lives actress and singer Gloria Loring are credited for penning lots of great sitcom jingles including the ones to Diff’rent Strokes, Facts of Life and Growing Pains.

Thicke went on to appear in numerous television shows and films, often appearing as himself on such series as How I Met Your Mother.

Recently, he appeared on Netflix‘s Fuller House, a reboot of another 1980s sitcom, featuring Bob Saget and Kirk Cameron‘s real-life sister, Candace Cameron Bure. Some of the last tweets on Thicke’s Twitter account referenced the show.

Many of us grew up with Thicke on his 7-year run show and also from the various game shows he hosted.Today, a lot of his past and present co-stars and fellow industry associates shared their condolences and wishes in social media.

A few weeks ago with my great, lovely friend for 35 years, the hilarious Alan Thicke. Will miss you dearly.
A photo posted by Jeff Franklin (@fullerhouseguy) on Dec 13, 2016 at 7:19pm PST

The NHL family is sad to learn of the passing of longtime hockey fan Alan Thicke. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/5ADyWRksuf
— NHL (@NHL) December 14, 2016

Although Rock legend David Bowie lost his 18 month battle with liver cancer this past Sunday, January 10, a close friend said he fought hard to live for his now 15-year old daughter Alexandria Zahra Bowie with his wife of 18 years, Supermodel Iman.

“I could see the tears behind his eyes, because he was not a man to show off his emotions. He was really in deep fear,” the family told Daily Mail. “I felt he was not in a death struggle but a struggle for life – he wanted to live on. He has a daughter of 15 and he really wanted to go on, but it was physically not possible. He was ill, but he wanted to live – for his wife and daughter, and for music. That became obvious to me time and time again during our collaboration.”

In an interview with Iman shared that Alexandria brought them closer together. She was considered Iman and Bowie’s miracle baby. Iman had tried IVF to get pregnant, but it was unsuccessful. The couple were considering adoption when they found out Iman was expecting a child.

“We’ve always been very close, but if it’s possible we’ve been drawn even closer,” she said. “There’s a joy or a contentment that’s almost palpable to both of us,” she added. “Overnight, our lives have been enriched beyond belief.”

Alexandria Zahra “Lexi” Jones – source

Bowie’s last project, Blackstar, is Bowie’s 25th studio album and it was just released on his 69th birthday last Friday. It is filled with prolific lyrics in many of the songs including the first single “Lazarus” which starts with the lyrics “Look at me. I’m in heaven.”

Alexandria is Iman and Bowie’s only child together. He also had a 44-year old son, film maker Duncan Bowie, from a previous marriage to model Angela Bowie.

“He made Blackstar for us — his parting gift,” Bowie’s longtime friend and producer Tony Visconti said Monday of the album which features over 2 dozen musicians who remained hush about the project. “I knew for a year this was the way it would be. I wasn’t, however, prepared for it.”

This video for Lazarus is indeed haunting but beautiful.

Photo: Camera Press/Brian Aris

h/t BlackCelebKids

David Bowie

Heart Failure Takes Life of TV Dad Alan Thicke Weeks After TV Mom Florence Henderson

Friend: David Bowie wanted to Live on for his ‘miracle’ Daughter, Alexandria